Spara
by Asparagus Altar-Ego
Summary: Asparagus finds a small black kitten that will change his life forever.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: If you ever tried to look at this before, it didn't work. I'm sorry, there were some technical difficulties, but now it's fixed. This is one of the earlier fanfictions I wrote that I actually liked—actually it's probably my favorite. I hope you like it, too, please R&R!

Disclaimer: I don't own Cats. I don't own any of these characters, pretty much I own nothing but the ideas—which are mine only because I thought of them. Pretty much the usual.**  
**

* * *

**Spara**

_Asparagus Altar-Ego_

Part One

The Jellicle Junkyard

* * *

Asparagus sighed. It was a cold and rainy day, dark and gray.

And he had nowhere to go.

He wandered the streets lost and lonely. There wasn't a soul in sight. Suddenly he tripped over a small wet bundle in the gutter.

The bundle moved.

Asparagus jumped eyes wide. He poked the little black bundle cautiously. Slowly the bundle raised a white faced head, it blinked clogged sickly green eyes at him.

Asparagus swallowed, "Hello."

The sodden kitten, it was a kitten, whimpered and curled back up.

Asparagus sat down next to him, wrapping his ratty tail around his feet, to keep watch over the kitten. He blinked pale gray blue eyes at the small sad little thing.

After some time of this he realized he couldn't just stay out in the open like a sitting duck, what if Macavity showed up? So he leaned over and grabbed the kitten by the nape of the neck and dragged it down the street, even though he didn't really have anywhere to go.

Asparagus dragged the kitten into the park and through the wet grass. He came upon a large tree and dragged the kitten into a hollow between two roots.

He looked down at the tiny boy. He shivered, cold and rainy it was, but at least now he had a companion. He curled up back to back with his new friend and soon fell asleep.

When he awoke it was dark, but not the darkest point of night, in fact it was almost morning, and the rain had stopped. He looked up at the stars peeping through the tree branches, silver light fading in the dawn, and his mind wandered.

He had no family, none but an old Pollicle who had called him Asparagus, saying that he bore a striking resemblance to Asparagus, more commonly known as Gus the theatre cat. He had no friends, none but the smaller boy beside him, who for all he knew hated him.

And then the younger kitten shifted and looked up. He leaped to his feet, green eyes wide and sickly, reflecting a hundred little silver lights from the sky.

Asparagus stood as well, slowly. His patchy brown coat was worn over his thin body.

"Hello," said he.

"Hello," whispered the tux marked kitten, even his voice was sickly.

"My name's Asparagus."

"Mistoffelees."

And with those words a fast friendship began, no questions asked.

"Where is this place?" Mistoffelees asked.

"Somewhere in the park, I'm not quite sure exactly where."

"How'd I get here?"

"Courtesy of my strange ideas, I guess I didn't really like the look of the gutter."

Mistoffelees smiled weakly, "Well, any idea where we could get some food?"

"Only place I can think of is your local garbage can, unless you're any good at catching mice," Asparagus sat down and tilted his head, "of course there'll only be something there if we hurry."

Mistoffelees's face lit up, "Then what are we waiting for?!"

Asparagus leaped back up and they ran off into the now bright light of day.

A few weeks later Asparagus and Mistoffelees had set up a den in the hollow between the roots, and were still firm friends.

"Oh boy, oh boy!" crowed Mistoffelees, "Look at this! The mother of all goodness! A cheeseburger!"

Asparagus poked his head up out of another garbage can, "Sounds nice, you wouldn't be interested in sharing, would you?"

"Sure! Sure!" Mistoffelees dragged the cheeseburger out of his garbage can, it was almost as big as him, "Only one bite off of it!"

Asparagus sprang off the top of his can, tipping it over.

Neither of them noticed the small dark green eyes watching them as they gobbled up their cheeseburger.

When they were finished the observer spoke.

"Excuse me," the watcher was a small multicolored girl. No more than a kitten, certainly younger than the two boy kittens.

They froze and slowly turned to her.

"Yeah?"

"Do you know how to get to the Jellicle Junkyard?"

Asparagus and Mistoffelees looked at each other in slight bewilderment before the latter thought of something.

"I might," he began slowly, "but I'm not sure."

She blinked large eyes at them.

"Okay, we'll try," Mistoffelees gave in, "Asparagus, which way to the park entrance?"

Asparagus gathered his bearings, "This way, follow me."

The three kittens scampered to the park entrance.

"Now what?" Asparagus queried.

"Follow me."

And so they did, Asparagus brought up the rear so that they wouldn't have to worry about losing the little girl.

"I'm Asparagus," he offered.

"And I'm Mistoffelees."

"I'm Jemima."

So together they dashed down streets, going as far as to even play tag as they went.

Suddenly Jemima swerved to the right, tracking instincts kicking in or something.

"Oh woh!" Mistoffelees cried, whirling about to follow her.

Asparagus dashed after them, but Jemima had stopped.

They collided and all three went tumbling out into the middle of a junkyard.

It was indeed, the Jellicle Junkyard, and it looked like something was going on. There were several cats talking, adults, with serious looks on their faces.

Jemima scrambled to her feet, "Pappy!" She ran over to a yellow tabby amongst the group.

Whispers of 'there she is.' 'thank goodness,' and the like ran throughout the cats.

Asparagus and Mistoffelees inched towards the edge of the junkyard, but weren't quick enough to escape. A somewhat large cat, fat if you prefer, was looking right at them, they didn't know it, but his name was Bustopher Jones and he was the best educated cat in the whole city.

"Uh-oh," Mistoffelees whispered.

"Not good," hissed Asparagus.

"And who are these?" Bustopher wanted to know.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Here is part two! It's a little longer than part one. I hope you like it, please R&R!

Disclaimer: Once again I do not own cats or it's characters. I did write the songs in here, so those are mine, and the thoughts that come out of my head are mine, but that's about it.**  
**

* * *

**Spara**

_Asparagus Altar-Ego_

Part Two

Mistoffelees's Dreams

* * *

All the cats looked at them.

"Asparagus and Mistoffelees," Jemima spoke up, although somewhat quietly.

A white kitten who was sitting on a stripy calico's lap looked up, "But Asparagus is older than that!"

"Not that Asparagus," Jemima cooed from her pappy's lap, "this Asparagus lives in the park."

"By himself?" A tiny voice squeaked out from a little slash marked kitten who was smaller than all the rest.

"No Electra!" Jemima cried out, exasperated, "he lives with Mistoffelees!"

"Oh," said the white, "are they brothers?"

Jemima shrugged and started sucking her paw.

"Are you?" Electra's little voice was directed at Asparagus and Mistoffelees.

"No," said Mistoffelees, "we're just friends."

Asparagus nodded.

"Well, young ones, now that you know who our visitors are, perhaps you'd allow us to speak to them," a large shaggy cat, who was surely very old intervened upon the interrogation.

The little ones fell quiet and Asparagus and Mistoffelees stared wide eyed at the elderly cat.

"Well, Asparagus, Mistoffelees, if you wish you may go back to the park, or you may stay here."

"Please sir," Mistoffelees stood, whispers of 'so small,' 'so helpless,' ran through the cats, "may I stay?"

"Yes you may."

"Aren't you gonna ask your friend first?" Electra piped out.

Mistoffelees blinked his green eyes and turned to Asparagus, "Will you stay, too?"

Asparagus nodded, just a little shell shocked.

"Then it is settled," the old cat said, "when you are of age you may become members of the tribe, but for now how about meeting the rest of the tribe?"

Mistoffelees's small face lit up and he nodded excitedly.

"I am Old Deuteronomy," the old cat said.

"I'm Jennyanydots," said the calico who held the white kitten, "and this is Victoria."

"I'm Electra," the littlest kitten said.

"I am Bustopher Jones," said the fat cat.

"I'm Skimbleshanks, and you lads already know Jemima," said Jemima's 'pappy'.

Introductions continued for a long time, but well before they were over Asparagus had curled up and gone to sleep. Mistoffelees remained alert through the whole thing, but when it was over he too curled up and fell asleep.

And he dreamed.

_In his dreams he saw a great dance, sometimes accompanied by song, sometimes not. He saw his mother driven away more than once, and to his shock his own brother and sister, his litter mates, were among those who shunned her. He saw the cat who Asparagus ws named for, he saw Jemima, her voice strong and sweet, soaring to the heavens as she sang, and he saw Old Deuteronomy taken away by a ginger cat who's eyes, to the small dreaming boy, seemed to burn as flame. And again he saw his mother, she lay alone on the ground in the Junkyard, crumpled, and he could not help her._

He woke up in tears, with Asparagus looking at him worriedly, "You okay?"

Mistoffelees stood, "Yeah."

Asparagus blinked worriedly at him, and then curled back up. Within moments he was asleep, tail twitching contentedly, his worry forgotten.

Mistoffelees sighed and clambered up onto an old tire that rested in the junk. He looked up at the stars. Little Electra wormed out from under the tire where her mother's den was built.

"What's the matter Misto?" The tiny voice beside him startled the small boy.

Misto sighed, looking at his feet, "I miss my mother," he admitted.

"Why aren't you with her?"

"She couldn't take care of me anymore, so she told me to find the Jellicles."

"Why?"

"Because she used to know them."

Etcetera, who was Electra's litter mate, crawled up by them, "Why are you up? I mean you fell asleep like you were exhausted."

"Bad dream," Mistoffelees looked back at the stars, "my mother told me that there was one night a year that she heard the moon," he looked at the other two kittens, "I never told her that I heard the stars."

"How about you go back to sleep," said Electra, "and everything will seem better in the morning."

"Yeah, I guess you're right," he jumped off the tire, "night then."

"Night Misto," they chorused and then they wriggled back into their cozy den with their mommy and daddy.

Misto curled up back to back with Asparagus and shut his eyes.

_Cold, rain, a menacing laugh which sent chills up his spine. A harsh blow and he may as well have been dead. How long he lay still, water collecting around him he didn't know. A poke which induced a flare of pain caused him to raise his head. A watery figure, image twisted by the rain stood in front of him, and then it blurred into a picture clear as day, it was the ginger cat who haunted his dreams, it was..._

Misto awoke shivering as the first light of dawn crept over the horizon. Asparagus, too, was awake, sitting next to him.

"The dawn is beautiful here," Asparagus said.

"Yes,it is, though it always was, the sun poking its rosy face into the sky, banishing all the fears that come in the night, all with a single touch of it's delicate light," Misto smiled slightly, "everything looks better under the light of day."

"Ah, a young philosopher," it was Bustopher, "you don't mind if I sit here?"

"Of course not," they said, shifting to make room for the fat cat.

"Who will serenade the dawn today, who will sing up the sun?" Old Deuteronomy's voice filled the junkyard.

"How about our newcomers?" Bustopher nominated.

The two kittens' eyes widened.

"it's really easy," Electra piped, popping up behind them, "you just sing, here I'll help you."

She sang:

The dawn is beautiful today,

As we turn our eyes to the light of day.

Asparagus joined hair, giving voice to a second part:

No more tears we cry,

For now the day is nigh,

A time when we need not fear,

For the good of day is here.

They stopped and Misto sang alone:

The rosy face of the sun,

Oh, now it has come,

To banish all the fears that come with the night,

All with one single touch of its delicate light,

And everything looks better than it did before,

No longer will fear win the war,

For its rosy face is smiling down,

Giving its blessing unless it should frown.

Electra and Asparagus looked at each other, then joined him:

The day has come,

With the rising of the sun!

Etcetera bounced up beside them, "That was good!"

"Very good," everyone heard Old Deuteronomy, "and now that the sun has been greeted, it seems to me that the kittens may go play, all of them, and..."

Misto and Asparagus didn't hear the rest because Electra and Etcetera had hauled them off to the place where all the kittens played. It was a hollow in the midst of all the junk, a place where they could be watched without getting in the way.

All the kittens were there, from the very oldest, a black, silver, and white boy whose name was Munkustrap, to the youngest, who was little Electra.

"I knew you two would do good!" Electra squealed, "I mean, Misto hears the stars and all!"

"You hear the stars?" Cassandra, a short brown and cream girl kitten, wanted to know.

Misto nodded.

"Oh wow," Sandra purred.

Misto raised an eyebrow at her, Asparagus sat still, tail wrapped around his feet.

"Oh!" Electra cried, "Asparagus hasn't met most of you!"

And so the kittens introduced themselves, Etcetera, Alonzo, Pouncival, Tumblebrutus, Cassandra, and Munkustrap, as well as those he already knew.

"You fell asleep last night before it came to us!" Etci giggled.

"What shall we call you for short?" Sandra wanted to know, "We can't call you Gus, there already is a Gus!"

"How about we call him Spara!" Etci squeaked.

The newly designated Spara, and Misto quickly made friends with Pounce, Tumble, and Al, as time passed their friendship grew firmer, and their circle grew to encompass Victoria (Vicki), Jemima (Jem), Lectra, Etci, and Sandra.

Munkustrap, whom they fondly called Trap, grew apart from the click, partially due to the fact that he was a fair bit older and passing through his adolescent stage. In fact he was really quite apart from everyone, even his beloved father, Old Deuteronomy.

"He's so apart from us now," Vicki sighed.

"Mmm hmm," murmured Etci from where she lay sunbathing, eyes half shut.

And then a fiery blur struck her and she screamed, a second orange blur streaked past her, skidding to a stop.

"Hey sis, wait up," the second orange blur, who turned out to be a calico boy kitten, orange and black striped on white with a single marmalade streak, he had a cockney accent and pale amber eyes.

The first blur screeched to a halt, "Hurry up Jer!" She too had an accent and looked very similar to him.

"You hit someone Teazer, maybe you should say sorry."

"Don't be such a baby," she laughed, "all right, sorry whoever I ran into."

"That's okay," Etci gasped as she clawed her way up out of the junk pile.

"Who are you?" Lectra's voice was still tiny and somewhat stuffed up, as though she had a cold.

"I'm Mungojerrie," said the boy.

"And I'm Rumpleteazer," she laughed again.

Vicki blinked delicately at them from her perch on an old bedpost.

"I'm Etcetera," Etci gasped, giving up and falling back into the junk, her voice came out muffled, "you can call me Etci."

"Mistoffelees poked his head out of an old cracker box, "I'm Mistoffelees, people call me Misto."

"Electra, also known as Lectra."

"Victoria, if you like you can call me Vicki."

"Asparagus, they call me Spara."

So on and so forth until the entire group was introduced.

"Oh, and that's Munkustrap," Etci told them, gesturing at him with one hand, "we call him Trap, watch out, he's a little moody."

"Okay," Jer said.

"Whatever," said Teazer, she laughed.

That night Misto curled up in an old oven he was staying in with Tumble and his family for the week.

_"Quick this way," a red girl kitten, maybe even a cat hissed, "hurry!"_

_A gold and black slashed kitten , a little smaller than her followed, blue eyes wide. A familiar evil laugh split the cool air and the second girl screamed._

_"Run!" the first shrieked. The scene faded in smoke and when it cleared, two eyes, burning and evil filled his vision._

Misto kicked and twisted.

"Cut it out!" Tumble snapped, kicking him back. Misto sat up green eyes wide.

Coricopat and Tantomiles, Tumble's older siblings who were young cats, no longer kittens, looked over at them.

"He sees it too," Cori thought.

"Yes, he does," Tanto thought back. They turned slowly in unison and walked out of the oven.

"The stars are quiet tonight," Cori had no need to speak aloud, and so he didn't.

"Look, even the Heaviside star is dark," Tanto pointed at the blackness of the skies above.

"So it is," Cori sat back, puzzled, "So it is." They sat without exchanging words, thoughts or even glances until the first mists of he dawn began to appear.

Misto sat on Vicki's bedpost perch, looking at the sunrise.

Teazer and Jer's voices rose together to greet the dawn:

A bright light and the voice of the daylight,

Fill the sky with their music, what a pretty sight.

The world is a way point, on the way to beyond,

Where only the dead sing their song,

And the starlight has danced its way,

Singing ta tiddy da ta lay,

Beyond the horizon with the moon,

The sun has not come too soon.

Jer sang alone:

The sunlight dances,

Her quick foot stances,

And her dark eyes have seen the moon,

With love's help she writes her tune,

And dances over sun touched lands,

Practicing her poses and her stands.

She touches oceans and the sea,

And washes her light over me.

Dance sweet sun,

And sing me one.

La tiddy da ta lay

La da lay.

He looked at Teazer, but she shook her head, their song was over, and they were not only officially, but also symbolically members of the Jellicle tribe.

Jer was quite willing to become part of the kitten 'click', but Teazer held herself apart. She sat alone on the hood of an old car, which was mostly buried in junk, across the kittens' hideout from where Trap would sit in perfect silence on an old bucket which perched at the very top of the junk pile. Jer and Teazer didn't grow apart, even though there was this distance between them, they remained very close, twin calicos who had been through more than anyone else in the junkyard knew. Something held them together, when anyone else would have fallen apart.

And then one day there was a black and blond tom perched next to Trap on his bucket. They were conversing in quiet tones so that the other kittens couldn't hear.

"Who's that?" squealed Etci.

Trap and his companion looked down from the bucket and the the black and blonde leaped down, "Rum Tum Tugger," said he.

"Rum Tum Tugger?" Etci's eyes widened, then she narrowed her eyes slightly, getting a sort of smug look, "my momma told me about you."

"Did she now," he leaned up against the pile of junk, "what'd she say?"

Etci giggled, "She said you were a great ruffian who didn'ta know how to behave."

Tugger looked slightly offended, "Did she really?"

"Really really," said Etci, smiling.

"Really really, huh? I like that," he grinned at her and ran a hand under her chin, "cute," said he. Etci grinned foolishly at him and he turned to look at the group, "So, who's all these new faces?"

Trap jumped off the bucket and introduced them. Tugger, the kittens learned, was his litter mate, although there was very little (if any) resemblance between them. Tugger had gone away with his mother, Aleta, when he was very small, Trap, however, had remained in the junkyard with their father. And now he was back in the junkyard, along with his mother.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Sorry this took so long! It's really kinda short too... Anyway, the story continues. Thanks to anyone who actually read this, special thanks to my one reviewer! Schools out, so the story continues.

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Except for my ideas, if you read the previous parts, you already know that.

* * *

**Spara**

_Asparagus Altar-Ego_

Part Three

The Kidnapping of Quaxo

* * *

Time passed and the kittens came to understand what Etci's mother had meant when she had told Etci that Tugger 'didn'ta know how to behave.' And then one day a boy kitten who looked very much like Misto showed up, along with a rather strange looking girl kitten.

"Quaxo!" Misto shrieked, leaping off the pile of junk and tackling the newcomer, "Exotica!" He grabbed them both in a hug, "it's great to see you!"

Vicki looked at him questioningly.

"This is my brother Quaxo and my sister Exotica," Misto told her, "we got separated, right after we had to leave our mother."

And then the joyous reunion was interrupted as two girl kittens darted into the junkyard.

Misto blinked

He's coming," said the red girl, "run!"

The two girls ran down a rain slicked street, an evil laugh filled the air. Claws slashed away their image, revealing the burning eyes, gleaming in the blackness of the darkest night.

Misto blinked again, "hello."

They stopped, at first looking scared, then looking a little less frightened.

"Are you the Jellicles?" The smaller of the two said.

"We're the Jellicle kittens," said Etci, "all the adults are just beyond that rise." In this case rise referred not to a hill, but rather to a heap of junk.

"Can we stay?" The other girl asked.

Trap leaped down from his bucket, "You'll have to ask Old Deuteronomy, this way." The two girls followed him to Old Deuteronomy, along with all the other kittens.

When they reached Old Deuteronomy Quaxo and Exotica edged up behind the two girls. Trap ran up to Old Deuteronomy and sat next to him leaning on the older cat's shoulder.

Before he could speak, the red girl repeated her plea, "Can we stay?"

"Well, if I may be so bold," said the old cat, "who are you?"

They looked at each other, "I'm Bombalurina," said the red.

"And I'm Demeter," said the other.

"You may stay."

"Please sir," it was Misto speaking, "may Quaxo and Exotica stay to?"

"Quaxo and Exotica are?"

"My litter mates, this is Quaxo and this is Exotica."

"Do you wish to stay?"

Tica and Quaxo nodded.

"Then you may stay."

And so the kitten's 'click' was complete. Together they grew into young cats. One by one they came of age and became members of the tribe. Lectra and Etci became members the day before the night of the Jellicle Ball. It would be the first ball for all of them, kittens did not attend, and it only took place once a year. It was the only time that all the Jellicles gathered in one place. Most of them were together all the time, but not all of them.

Trap was very nervous, he was expected to do a lot of the leading, because being, Old Deuteronomy's son, he was expected to someday take up the mantle of leadership. The Jellicle Ball was a good time to get some practice. The young cats were afraid they would make fools of themselves, but realized if they did then that was their part to play, and they would have to accept that.

When the time had come (the night had fallen, and the moon had risen), the moon called for song and dance. The dance began as they arranged themselves around the main junkyard.

Trap sang first, followed first by Demeter, and then by others. Eventually they all sang, throwing themselves into a wild and frenzied dance.

They sang and sang. They sang of the naming of cats, about Jennyanydots, and Rum Tum Tugger. Then, to everyone's surprise, a stranger entered the junkyard.

Misto and Quaxo would have spoken, said a word on her behalf, but found they couldn't. The air of the night was one of few words. Before they could articulate the thoughts they shared, she sang to the Jellicles in an attempt to explain herself...To stop there strange and unfriendly looks.

Then Dem told the strangers story, Grizabella the Glamour Cat. Misto and Quaxo had known who she was, they didn't mind how Dem told it, but then Bomb twisted the name into an insult. Of course, everyone knew that's what it was, an insult, but Misto had tried to pretend it wasn't. All the cats joined Bomb's jeer, and drove Grizabella away. Misto wanted to scream in frustration: He'd seen this all before, and he still couldn't do anything about it.

Bustopher Jones arrived then, and they sang about him, finishing just before the sirens screamed past.

"Macavity!" Dem screamed, and they all fled to various hiding places around the junkyard. Except, it wasn't Macavity, Misto could have told them that. It was Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer, wasn't it always? The notorious duo's escapades seemed to annoy the other Jellicles, and they chased the two into the junk piles.

Then, Old Deuteronomy came, Misto was the first to realize it. Once Old Deuteronomy had settled in, Trap led them in a small stage production about the great Rumpus Cat. Trap was the narrator, the other cats were dogs of various sorts, and the Rumpus Cat was himself. After they had taken their bows, Old Deuteronomy began to sing them some wisdom:

Jellicle cats and dogs all must,

Pollicle dogs and cats all must,

Like undertakers come to dust.

"Macavity!" Dem screamed.

Everyone fled, hiding themselves among the junk, except for Trap and Old Deuteronomy. The old leader would not flee, and his son would not leave him. Quaxo was among the last to go...Macavity, the name made him shake.

Vicki and Mima came out and danced with Trap, and Old Deuteronomy began to sing, calling out the others. Slowly the others emerged from their hiding places, adding lines of their own until the song grew into a frenzied dance. Grizabella returned momentarily when they stopped to rest, but was driven away as they returned to their wild dance.

Then they sang of moonlight and of memory, of Gus the theatre cat, and Skimbleshanks.

"Macavity!" Dem screamed again, just as they had finished praising Skimble. This time, the napoleon of crime showed himself. From his hiding place, Misto cringed and shivered. All the other cats stood frozen, transfixed by the mystic cat's terrible eyes. His henchrats came also, and captured Old Deuteronomy in a net. They dragged the elderly cat out of he junkyard.

Misto was reduced to a shivering ball of fur. The cats left the center of the junkyard, either fleeing Macavity or searching for their captured leader. Only Dem and Bomb remained, watched by the other queens around hidden around the edges of the clearing. Dem and Bomb sang of Macavity, telling of all his wicked ways. For a moment, Misto wondered how they could know so much about the evil cat.

Quaxo crawled up next to Misto, interrupting the lather's thought, "You have to go down there Misto." He said, "You have to find Old Deuteronomy."

Misto shook his head, and shivered miserably, "I can't. Macavity is too strong for me."

Quaxo looked upset, "Then I'll have to find him myself!" He slid away though the junk.

"Don't go!" Misto whispered, but it was too late.

The cats returned to the junkyard then, and they watched in surprise as Macavity and his henchrats returned Old Deuteronomy. All the cats were glad, except Dem.

Misto sat up, "That's not Old Deuteronomy!" But no one could hear him.

Fortunately, Dem could see through the thin disguise as well, and she unmasked the false cat revealing Macavity. Munkustrap fought the evil feline, and the tribe managed to drive him away, but as he was leaving he put out the lights.

"Macavity's not there!" The cats all whispered in a mixture of awe and horror. Then they voiced there primary concern, "We have to find Old Deuteronomy!"

"You ought to ask magical Mr. Mistoffelees..." Tugger began.

Misto wished the other tom would have kept his mouth shut. Yes, Misto wanted to find Old Deuteronomy, and yes, he probably could, but in doing so, he would draw Macavity's eyes to him. Misto could practically feel the evil cat's burning glare. He shivered, but told himself he had to do it now. Everyone was counting on him. So he came down to the other cats, and using his magic restored first light, and then Old Deuteronomy to the junkyard. Quaxo did not return.

Grizabella came again then, wrenching their hearts with her song. First, Victoria, and then the rest of the cats came to accept her, and she was chosen to go up to the Heaviside Layer and start a new life. Old Deuteronomy taught them all about the right way to address a cat, and then the Jellicle Ball was over, but Quaxo had not returned.

* * *

Macavity sat on a a crate, tail lashing angrily, "I may have lost the old one," he snarled, looking down at the small black and white tom, "but I still have one of them. Sleep now, Quaxo, when you wake up you will remember nothing."

* * *

The little black tom was sleeping, Misto walked around him, looking down at him. Where are you? He wanted to ask, but no words came. He looked around, searching for some clue to his brother's whereabouts, but all he saw was shadow. Quaxo!

Spara poked his small twitching friend, "Wake up Misto."

Misto yawned and shook himself awake. He looked at Spara curiously.

"Quaxo's still missing, just thought you should know."

Misto saw through his friends words immediately, "That's not why you woke me up, is it? I was shaking again, wasn't I?"

Spara nodded, avoiding his small friend's gaze.

"I wish it would stop," Misto muttered, wrapping his tail tightly around himself.

"It'll be okay," Spara whispered.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: This is the last part, sorry it took so long to finish. I'm really pathetic about losing things... Next time I'll try and do better. I hope you liked it, even if the updates have been very frustrating.

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Except for my ideas, if you read the previous parts, you already know that.

* * *

**Spara**

_Asparagus Altar-Ego_

Part 4

Macavity's Lair

* * *

Quaxo sat up slowly, moaning softly. He hurt all over. Looking around gingerly, he wondered where he was.

"Hello Quaxo," a tall ginger cat walked into the light.

"Who are you?" Quaxo asked, although it kind of seemed like he ought to know.

"I am Macavity."

Quaxo shook his head confused, shouldn't he know that name? "Where am I?"

"This is my," Macavity paused and smiled, "well, some would call it my lair, I prefer business place."

His lair, Quaxo wasn't sure, but any place called a lair didn't sound to good, "Why am I here?" He asked finally, even though he wasn't sure he'd like the answer.

Macavity sat down next to him and put a paw on his shoulder companionably, "Let me explain..."

* * *

A black and white cat slid out ito the night, following a large silver and black cat. The silver tom, by name Quistatrap (better known as Quist) was showing Quaxo around.

A small white cat named Batterywater, no one knew why, approached them, "New guy?" he hissed. Quist nodded.

"Quaxo, this is Batterywater. Batterywater, Quaxo."

"So this is Ax," Bat said, "you can call me Bat."

Bat and Quist led Quaxo around Macavity's warehouses and bars, acquainting him with all the places Macavity's agents lurked until Quaxo's head was spinning. He stopped, and tried not to think. Thinking hurt too much. There was something terribly wrong about this, but he couldn't seem to put his paw on it. Why was he here? He didn't believe Macavity's explanation one bit.

"What's the matter Ax?" Quist asked.

For that matter, he didn't like being called Ax, but he kept mum on that. Shaking his head slowly he said instead, "My head hurts."

"Why don't you take him back to the lair, Quist," Bat nudged the larger cat, "so he can get some sleep."

Quist nodded, "C'mon Ax, it's time we went back to the lair for some shuteye."

* * *

Misto was looking for Quaxo. He went to the bar, he wasn't sure why, but it seemed like a good place to start. Dem had said his mother used to live at the Friend at Hand, the most run down bar in town. That was where he started his search.

Bat was there, talking to several of Macavity's other agents, "Hey fellas, look at him," he proclaimed, "don't he look just like Ax."

Misto jumped up onto the c rate next to him and tried to look like he belonged, "Who's Ax?"

They just laughed. Misto took several deep breaths, trying to control his temper. Spara sauntered in.

"Hey Misto," he called, leaping up next to him.

Misto looked like he'd eaten something sour.

"Thought you were gonna leave me behind, eh?" Spara nudged him with a smile.

"You seemed busy," Misto said crossly. He hadn't wanted to interrupt Spara's flirting with Lectra.

Spara muttered something that might have been interpreted to be, "Nothing important." Then, as if he'd been there the entire time, Spara sat back on his haunches and directed his gaze at Bat, "Yeah, who's Ax?" He smiled snidely, showing the smaller cat his fangs.

Bat blinked uncertainly, it was all well and good messing with the little black cat, but this tom looked like he'd seen more than a few scrapes and come out on top. "New kid," Bat muttered, "name's Quaxo or somewhat."

"Quaxo?" Spara asked, looking at Misto and then back at Bat, "looks like him?"

Bat nodded.

"Peachy, c'mon Misto." He turned and jumped off the crate. Misto followed him, flicking his tail rudely at Bat and company.

"Why'd you tell him Bat?" Quist asked.

Bat gave them a look that said, 'are you crazy?' "Did you see him? I bet he coulda killed me if he wanted to!"

Quist shook his head, "I don't think so, you're such a pansy Bat."

"He coulda," whispered Corla the mystic, one of Macavity's more unusual agents, "but he didn't. And his small friend could've killed you, too, perhaps with more ease then he."

"Who were they?" Tommi, a little gold and black cat who was barely more than a kitten whispered.

"The smaller one was Mr. Mistoffelees," she paused to inhale mysteriously, "the original conjuring cat, and the other was Asparagus known as Spara. Both havefaced the wrath of the mystery cat and lived to tell the tale."

* * *

Misto ran to keep up with Spara's quick stride, "You don't think?"

"I think."

Misto stopped, "So Macavity's taken my brother! What are we gonna do?"

"We'll have to get him back. Snatch him right out of Macavity's lair." Spara said coldly, as memory washed over him.

He stood in a large warehouse, it was cold. He shivered, an evil laugh surrounded him. Corrin, the old pollicle who had raised him, growled, raising his hackles. Three large, brutish cats leapt out of the darkness. Corrin jumped between them and Spara, "Run!" He barked...

Misto stepped in front of him, forcing him to stop his agitated pacing, "But how...Where is it?"

He ran, he could hear the horrid sounds of the cats tearing into Corrin.. Still, he ran, memorizing the paths he took and swearing to someday return and have his vengeance. Macavity...

A bitter taste filled the young cat's mouth, and he spat, "I've been their before."

* * *

"Spara, huh?" Mikoto, a large brute of a cat scoffed at Corla's words, "heh, I remember him. Ran away."

"Left his friend to die," Backmyles an even larger cat laughed uproariously, "a slimy coward, that one."

"He was just a kitten," Corla defended, "I still can't believe you killed that old pollicle. There was no reason for it, and it was the closest thing to a family the poor little thing had."

Spara and Misto had meant to go to Macavity's lair without telling anyone. Of course, if you wanted to keep something a secret in the Jellicle Junkyard, naturally everyone would know about it. Consequently there was going to be a much larger group going than just Misto and Spara. It was kind of like a reunion of their kitten days, with everyone sticking together in a pack.

All in all there would be 8 cats going with Spara and Misto: Munkustrap, Alonzo, Jemima, Cassandra, Rumpleteazer, Mungojerrie, Rum Tum Tugger, and Tumblebrutus. Electra and Victoria wouldn't be going, Lectra wasn't feeling very well and Vicki had determined to stay with her before she had heard about Spara and Misto's plans to seek out Macavity's lair. Although she was a bit put out about not being able to go, she refused to go back on her promise to stay with Lectra. Likewise Etcetera would remain behind, although she wanted to go, because she was such a bad fighter and also very bad at being sneaky. Demeter had almost decided to go, but had panicked at the last minute, and Bombalurina had resolutely declared that she would not leave Dem and neither would she allow Dem to go with them to Macavity's lair. Exotica, although she wanted to find her brother Quaxo as much as Misto did, was staying behind. Trap had insisted that not everyone could go. The Junkyard couldn't be left undefended if Macavity decided to attack while they were gone. Nobody mentioned the fact that they'd all been there the night Quaxo disappeared and it really had done nothing to deter Macavity. Sometimes it was better not to say anything.

And so they set out, following the paths of Spara's memory until they came to an old warehouse. They stopped and looked around.

"So this is it, huh?" Tugger asked.

"Yeah," Spara fought back the desire to hiss, "this is Macavity's lair. Quaxo should be inside." He looked uncertain, "I hope."

"What if he isn't?" Alonzo worried.

"Then we'll make Macavity tell us where he put my brother," Misto spat.

Alonzo didn't look particularly convinced, "Yeah, right. Let's hope Plan A works."

"How do we get in?" Mima asked.

They all craned there necks searching for some sort of entrance to the building besides the obvious ways in, Macavity would surely be watching those entrances.

"There!" Teazer pointed to a crack between the boards on one of the windows. Misto, Mima, Cassandra and her would fit easily, but it would be a very tight squeeze for the rest of them.

"Aw man," Tugger whined, "this is gonna mess up my mane."

The rescue crew climbed up to the window and wriggled through, Teazer shimmied through first followed with only a little discomfort by Jer. Spara hurried through third, and lost a few tufts of hair for his trouble. He didn't have the worst of it though, when Tugger squeezed through he almost didn't make it on account of his mane. In fact, when he finally pulled through there were large, telltale clumps of Tugger mane stuck on the edges of the boards. Anyone who happened to walk by would see that some cat had entered the warehouse here.

They skulked along through dark rows of dusty crates, keeping eyes peeled for any sign of other cats. Suddenly, Trap noticed movement and lunged, covering the small cat's mouth. It was Bat.

"Mmph..." Bat tried to say.

"Great," Tugger complained, "what are we gonna do with him?"

"Where's Ax?" Spara asked.

"Mmm, mmph, mmph." Bat said.

"Well, that's helpful," Jer muttered.

Spara sighed, "You gonna keep quiet?"

Bat's eyes flickered to the group of Jellicles surrounding him. He nodded.

Trap slowly removed his paw from Bat's mouth.

"Why do you want Ax anyway?" Bat asked quickly.

Misto glowered at him, "He's my brother."

"Oh." Bat said, "He does seem a little... lost. You's gonna take him home?"

Misto nodded, "Yeah."

Bat looked around nervously, "Okay... I'm, um, sorry, but he's with the boss right now..."

Spara glowered at him, "Where?"

Bat twitched uncomfortably, "Um, um... I guess, I could, um, show you..."

"Do it!" Spara and Misto said together.

They followed the small cat to the center of the warehouse, where the crate stacks had been arranged to create a room of sorts. "In there!" Bat hissed.

The Jellicle Rescue Team slid to the cavernous edges of the entrance. They could here Macavity's voice, monologuing about something. Every now and then he would say, "Isn't that right Ax?" In this silky sweet, but decidedly dangerous voice. Each of these statements was followed by a pause, and an "Um, I guess?"

Trap looked at them all, "Ambush?"

Spara nodded, "Sounds good."

"On my count, we charge in and get Macavity."

Teazer who had been peering out into Macavity's central enclosure, nodded her agreement, "Yeah, look's like it's just the two of 'em."

Trap nodded grimly, "Let's do this. One. Two. Three! Charge!"

They sprung into the room and leapt at Macavity. Furious fighting ensued, and Jemima was thrown into a corner. Misto pulled Quaxo back from the fighting, "Quaxo!"

Quaxo looked at him in confusion.

"It's me!" Misto said anxiously, "You're brother Mistoffelees!"

"... Mistoffelees?" Quaxo pondered the name, staring at Misto, before suddenly recognition dawned on his face, "Misto!" He hugged his brother. "What's going on?"

"We're rescuing you, silly." Misto told him. "And.." Jer went rolling past, "Maybe I should help..."

Misto looked around and spotted a tattered blue blanket, "Help me with this Quaxo!" The two brothers pulled the blanket off the crate (Macavity actually used it as a seat cushion on his crate throne), and hoist it up.

"Now what?" Quaxo asked.

"Um, if he'd just hold still..." Misto began.

"Not gonna happen!" Jer snapped as he ran back past, leaping for Macavity.

Then, unexpectedly, Spara knocked Macavity off his paws with a particularly vicious strike. He fell to the ground, cracking his ginger head on the cement floor.

Misto took immediate advantage of the situation, "Cover him up!" He yelled and they all rushed to throw the blue blanket over him. Misto blew sparkling dust from his paws onto the blanket, and spun around before pulling it off with a cry of "Presto!"

They all stared dumbly at the empty spot on the floor.

"So," Cassandra asked, "where'd he go?"

Misto looked thoughtful, "Siberia I hope. We're probably not that lucky though."

Spara grimaced, "Wherever he is, he'll be back. You can be sure of that."

"But we won't let this happen again." Trap swore.

"Right!" Tugger grinned.

"Um..." a small voice said from the entrance. Bat was standing there with Quist, Corla, and Tommi. "Can we come with you?"

Trap looked momentarily uncertain, but then said, "Sure. We'll talk to Old Deuteronomy when we get back."

"Quist! Bat!" Quaxo said, "You're coming?"

"Yeah," Bat shifted uncomfortably, "Boss'll kill me when he gets back."

"If he gets back," Quist added. "Me and Bat have been together forever, if him and his mom," he gestured at Corla, "are going, then so am I."

"And this one," Corla said mysteriously, putting a paw on Tommi's shoulder, "should be reunited with his sister. Let us be gone."

* * *

It had been months and months since anyone had heard from Macavity. Quist, Bat, and Corla had settled into Jellicle life. Tommi was reunited with his sister, they'd all been surprised to find out she was Demeter, and was content playing with other young cats and kittens in the junkyard.

"Dad! Dad!" Spara collapsed under the weight of three tiny, energetic kittens pouncing on him.

Lectra smiled at her mate, "They're growing up so fast. Eyes open already."

Spara smiled back, then spoke at the three boys, "Victor, George, Bill Bailey. Down."

They rolled off of him, and turned adorable, large kitten eyes on him, "Aww dad..."

He smiled. "It's time for bed."

"I don't wanna." Victor whined.

"No, no!" George told his brother, "I wanna story!"

"Story! Story!" Bill Bailey chanted, and after a moment even Victor joined in.

"Alright," Spara consented, "Get in bed and I'll tell you a story."

"Tell us about when you met uncle Misto!" George demanded, as the three brothers curled up in their junk bed.

Spara smiled, "It was a cold and rainy day, dark and gray. And I had nowhere to go. I wandered the streets lost and lonely. There wasn't a soul in sight. Suddenly I tripped over a small wet bundle in the gutter..."

The End


End file.
